Soul Searching
by Queen-of-the-Merry-Men
Summary: What if Robin's soul wasn't obliterated? What if it just needed a new body? Jason Clarke can't remember a thing about his life. He's just woken up from a coma without a clue who he is until one day a woman in the park hands him a card for a bar located in a mysterious Seattle neighborhood called Hyperion Heights.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: Based off Roni's bar and my own desires.**_

* * *

He knows things aren't right. He just feels it deep in his gut.

His therapist says that's perfectly normal considering the circumstances. After all, who wouldn't feel out of sorts after waking up from a six-month coma with no memories whatsoever.

Some days he still can't believe it. An entire lifetime gone. He can't remember anything no matter how hard he tries. All he knows is what they've told him.

His name is Jason Clark. He's 40 years old. His birthday is June 7th. He used to be a web designer. He lives in Spokane, Washington. In a nice apartment with an English bulldog named Charlie. He lives alone. Doesn't have much of a family from what he can tell. Not a lot of pictures on the walls. Not a single friend that he's met, just acquaintances here and there.

A look in the mirror tells him that he has dark brown hair, nearly black, and green eyes. His closet tells him that he favors expensive suits over jeans and hoodies. And judging by his kitchen cabinets he's apparently a big fan of pasta but none of it sparks a fraction of a memory or emotion. Just more mystery.

His therapist says things will get better. That as time goes by he'll start to settle and possibly remember more.

But he knows that's not true.

He's lived this life for three months and it still doesn't feel like his.

His apartment doesn't feel like his home. His face doesn't feel familiar. Hell, even the dog is acting like it barely knows him.

Things don't feel right. And he can't shake the feeling that the life he's living isn't his own.

Still, he tries. He takes Charlie on walks, he explores his neighborhood, he tries to find something that will spark his memory all to no avail… until that fateful Friday afternoon.

He'd taken Charlie out to the park, for a stroll near his favorite pond. He can't remember going there often but Charlie always seems happy there. It's on their second lap that they run into her.

It's a complete accident. Charlie had tugged on his leash a bit to harshly and she clearly hadn't been watching where she was going, so they bumped into each other. He apologizes, only wanting to make sure that she's okay, when her hand latches onto to his elbow and she stares up at him with wide blue eyes.

"It's you!" she breathlessly whispers. She says it with so much conviction, her grip on his arm growing tighter as she takes him in. "I've been looking for so long…"

He stares down at her, heart pounding in his chest as he searches her face for a sliver of recognition. He's walked through this park, this neighborhood, at least a dozen times and not once has someone recognized him. She's the first and he wants to remember her desperately… but he doesn't.

He takes in her curly blonde hair and innocent blue eyes, searching his brain but coming up empty. He doesn't know who she is.

"Do you know who I am?" he tentatively asks.

Her smile falters as she scrunches her eyebrows at him. "Do you?"

Her gaze grows harsher as she lets her hand fall from his arm and he shifts uncomfortably under her scrutiny.

"Of course," he lies. "I'm Jason Clarke."

A soft, disbelieving breath comes from her as she shakes her head. "No… you're not."

Confusion bubbles up inside of him. He doesn't like it.

"Look," he says, "I've had a bit of an accident recently. And it might've messed with my head a bit but I do still know my own name. Now tell me… do I know you?"

She shakes her head, sadly. "No… but I know you. The real you."

All he can do is stare at her. She's not making sense.

"Who are you?"

A small smile tugs on her lips. "Your fairy godmother," she sarcastically answers, with a small shrug of her shoulders.

Jason rolls his eyes. This woman is clearly insane. He doesn't know why he even bothered to get his hopes up. She's clearly a dead end.

Charlie tugs on his leash and barks, clearly ready to move on. And frankly, Jason is right behind him.

He turns away from her. "Look I don't know if you're messing with me or just annoyingly cryptic but either way I get the feeling that this talk is a waste of my time so…"

He starts to walk away, even manages to make a few strides before he hears her call out to him.

"You're lost aren't you… Jason?" She practically sneers his name and it stops him in his track.

"You wake up and you don't feel right? You look around and know that you're out of place?" She pauses. "It's eating you alive, isn't it?"

He grits his teeth before turning around to look at her. She's still staring at him a knowing, concerned look in her eyes as she continues to speak.

"You think it's just your home, or your clothes, maybe even that dog that's making you not feel right but it isn't," she said, stepping closer. "It's you. Deep down inside… you're not where you're meant to be… and you know it."

He takes a deep breath, clenches his jaw and growls at her, "Who… are… you?"

She nods at him. "I'm the woman who's gonna show you the way home."

She reaches inside her jean jacket, pulls out a small business card and hands it over to him. "Tomorrow night at seven. You need to be at this place. Trust me."

It's all she says before rushing away from him, disappearing as mysteriously as she'd appeared. He watches her go before turning over the card in his hand.

 **RONI'S BAR**  
815 N. Mifflin Ave, Seattle, Washington.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It's fucking ridiculous. There's no way he's doing it.

There's no way he's taking a four hour drive all the way to fucking Seattle just because a crazy woman told him to. There's just no way.

Sitting on his couch in his apartment he tries to convince himself of this. He tries to convince himself that he's too smart to believe anything that she said. He looks around his home and tries to convince himself that it's where he belongs.

Charlie wanders over with his leash in his mouth. He paws at his leg and tilts his head, judgmentally.

Jason sighs. "Goddamn it."

xxxxxxxx

It's a nice enough place. At least from the outside.

It's seven-ten Saturday night and he's standing across from the bar with Charlie at his side, watching as people come in and out. There's a bright neon sign above the door with green lit letters spelling out "RONI'S" along with two red arrows above the name. Classy, he thinks to himself.

He can't see inside. It's a brick building with the only windows situated well above eye level but he can hear the music coming from behind the door. A steady stream of classic rock and guitar ballads. Not his personal favorite. At least not according to his CD collection.

This is insane. He had no reason at all to go inside that place. Just the word of some madwoman he'd ran into at the park. What are the chances that anything in there was gonna give him answers? He was better off going home.

He'd barely spun on his heel before he heard her voice.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?"

He turned back with a grimace and saw her, the woman from the park. She was dressed in a flirty green romper and glaring at him crossed arms. Teddy barked, recognizing her and she smiled at him.

"You know they don't allow dogs inside," she quipped.

"Doesn't matter because I'm not going in," he shot back.

"You have to!" she insisted, raising her voice.

"No I don't!" he snapped at her. "I don't get it. Who are you?! What do you think is gonna happen? What in there is so important that you just can't let me leave?!"

She hesitated, shifting from foot to foot before softly answering, "A woman."

Jason rolled his eyes and scoffed, "Wow."

He turned to walk away from her but she ran to block his path. "Look I know how it sounds… but you have to trust me. Once you meet her… things will start feeling right again."

Jason clenched his jaw as he stared her down. "And what makes you think I need your help with that?"

She stared up at him, silent and searching before answering, "Because I'm just a crazy woman from a park who told you to be some place… and you still showed up."

Goddamn it.

He reluctantly hands her the leash. "If my dog isn't here when I get back I swear I will hunt you down."

She smiles at him. "Noted."

He goes to walk toward the bar before looking back at her. "What is your name anyway?"

She shrugs her shoulders. "My friends call me Tink."

xxxxxxx

It's more crowded than he expected but then again it was Saturday night. A small band was up on stage playing 80's rock and every table in the place was filled. In fact, the only seat left was on a stool right next to the bar. Looking around the bar he suddenly realizes that Tink has given no clue as to who this woman is or what she even looks like.

30 minutes, he told himself. I'll stay for 30 minutes and then I'll leave.

He sits at the bar, feeling more anxious by the minute. One quick pan of the room and he realized he was clearly overdressed. His black suit certainly stood out in the sea of jeans and leather. It makes him feel uncomfortable but not half as much as the stares he's gotten. This place must be a locals hangout because people have stared at him from the moment he'd walked through that door, as if they'd known it was his first time there.

This was a bad idea. Screw thirty minutes, he should just leave now.

"Well hello there handsome."

He turns to the bar and finds himself looking into the most beautiful pair of chocolate eyes he's seen in this life or any other. It's the bartender. A woman with dark eyes and wild brown hair. She smiles and he's dumbfounded. He doesn't know what it is but he feels… something. Which is more than he can say for the past three months.

She raises her eyebrows at him. "Pick your poison?"

"Why don't you pick it for me?"

The words slip out of him as if on instinct, smoother than he expected and certainly more relaxed than he feels.

She tilts her head at him, surprised. "Feeling a little adventurous?"

"Just having some trouble remembering what I like," he replies.

It's not as if he's lying. Drinking wasn't something he'd had the chance to do yet. So if he has a favorite drink it's a mystery to him.

She nods her head. "Alright then. A shot of whiskey coming up."

She knocks on the counter before turning back to the shelf and pulling down a bottle. He watches her from his seat, taking her in. He can't help but let his eyes wander over her body, examining every curve of her. She's dressed as casually as anyone else in the place, wearing nothing but a plain black tank and jeans. It suits her.

"You're not from around here, are you?" she asks, her back still turned.

"How could you tell?"

Her hoop earrings dangle as she spins back and sets a glass in front of him. "No one around here dresses as nice as you."

She winks at him, or at least tries to, and he smiles, shrugging his shoulders. "I'm just passing through for the night."

"And what brings you to the lovely Hyperion Heights?"

He stares into her brown eyes and shakes his head. "I have no idea."

"Really?" she drawls, leaning against the counter, clearly interested. "You lost?"

"So I've been told," he replies.

She hums to herself as she stares into his eyes. "You know… I like you."

He snorts, amused. "Do you?"

"I do." She grins, nodding her head. "And you should know that's a very big deal. I don't like very many people."

"I bet," he chuckles.

She tilts her head at him, curious. "What is your name?"

"Jason," he answers. "Jason Clarke."

"Jason Clarke?" She wrinkles her nose, straightening up. "Not really a name that fits you."

"Thanks for letting me know, I'll be sure to return it," he shoots back with a grin.

"Sorry," she giggles. "I've been told I'm a little blunt."

"It's fine," he says, shaking his head. "You have no idea how refreshing it is."

After weeks of gentle-toned doctors and psychiatrists her honesty is like a breath of fresh air. Maybe that's why it feels like his soul is reaching out to her like a moth to a flame.

"What is your name?"

"Veronica," she answers, flashing him another bright smile. "But everyone just calls me Roni. Owner and proprietor of the very bar you stand in."

She holds out her hand and he reaches to shake it. A jolt goes through him. Like the spark that ignites a forest fire, he feels something shift inside of him. Something light and familiar. Something… right.

"Pleasure to meet you Roni."

"Likewise… Jason."

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 _ **Please leave a review if you can!** _


	2. Chapter 2

_**Based off the Halloween episode. Jason meets Lucy and attends a Halloween party at Roni's.**_

* * *

It was nearly two a.m by the time Jason finally left Roni's. He'd spent the whole time at the bar talking to the titular bar owner herself, mesmerized by her easy smile and deep eyes. Time had slipped past without notice. It was a bit of a shock when he looked around and realized he was the last customer left.

He chuckled, embarrassed, as he slid off his stool and tossed a twenty into her tip. "Well I suppose I've occupied more than enough of your time for one night. Suppose I should head out."

"Well it is almost closing time," she said with a tilt of her head. "And I would prefer not to toss you out. I doubt your suit could handle it."

She sent what appeared to be a wink in his direction and a blush rose up in his cheeks. He bowed his head to her. "It was good talking to you Roni."

"Likewise," she immediately replied, nodding her head.

Catching her eye, he finds himself drowning in their color yet again. God, those eyes. He swore if they were the last thing he ever saw he'd be fine with that. Finally shaking himself from their spell, he bid her one final nod before heading toward the door.

A soft _Hey_ cuts through the air, sending him turning back on his heel to stare at her once more.

"I don't know how long you're sticking around but Halloween's in a few days." She walks out in front of the bar, shrugging her shoulders, nonchalantly. "It's a pretty big deal around here. I hold a costume contest and everything."

He raises his eyebrows at her. "Really?"

"Mm-hmm." She nods. "You should stop by if you get the chance."

It would be his first Halloween since the coma, the first he would ever remember if his memories continue to elude him. Perhaps that's why he can't imagine a better way to spend it than sitting at this bar again, watching her serve drinks in what he hopes will be an attractive costume of her own. It sounds better than anything he would've dared to plan for himself but he finds himself shaking his head.

"I'd love to," he says, "but I should probably hit the road. Think I've indulged my wanderlust enough for one week."

Something unreadable passes behind her eyes and he fears that he's disappointed her. Instead she just sends him another smile before heading back behind the bar.

"Your loss," she tosses her over her shoulder. Picking up a towel to wipe down the tile she throws back, "I'll be here if you change your mind."

The knowing look in her eyes is the last thing he sees before heading out the door.

xxxxxx

The night air hits his face like a cold splash of reality. He's back on the street, the sound of car horns and city lights sweeping him back to real life. Glancing back at the door he just walked out of, Jason knits his eyebrows together. Suddenly, the past couple hours seem like a lifetime ago and the woman behind the bar feels an entire world away.

Roni was a complete stranger. What was it about her, that he'd found so comforting, so captivating?

Dropping his hands in his pockets, he started to walk down the street. He'd probably never find out why she'd enchanted him the way she had. Perhaps that was for the best. It wasn't as if he could stay here. That would be ridiculous. His life was in Spokane, even if he couldn't remember it.

All the doctors had said the same thing. If he wanted to remember who he was he had to rediscover his routine, let it sink in and take hold. He couldn't risk any progress but traipsing off to Hyperion Heights again.

"So how'd it go?!"

"Jesus Christ!" he hissed, nearly jumping out of his skin at the sound of Tink's voice suddenly rushing him from behind. She'd appeared as if out of nowhere, Charlie's leash in one hand and a super sized Mr. Cluck's cup in the other, staring up at him expectantly as she sipped soda through a straw. Jason glared at her, embarrassed by how easily she'd spooked him.

"You know you really should be wearing a bell around your neck," he snapped.

Tink rolled her eyes at him, annoyed. "God, this version of you is so much more snippy than the last. Really hoping that fades."

He didn't even get the chance to ask what she meant before she passed over Charlie's leash.

"Here," she said. "We had quite the adventure while you were in the bar."

He mumbled a surly _Thanks_ before kneeling down to examine his dog. Charlie happily nuzzled his hand, seeming no worse for wear after his night in Tink's custody. _At least that's one less thing to worry about_ , Jason thought to himself.

"So… how was she?" asked Tink, with a smug smile.

Jason rose to his feet, still eyeing her suspiciously. "How was who?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You spent more than six hours in that bar, Jason. You know exactly who I'm talking about. Roni, the bartender."

He gritted his teeth, annoyed that she was correct in her assumption and even more irritated that the woman in question had made him feel more in the last few hours than anyone else in the past three months. Seeing the smug look in Tink's eye, he finds himself reluctant to give her the satisfaction of being right.

"She was fine," he answered, avoiding her gaze.

He tugs on Charlie's leash leading him down the sidewalk, hoping for a hasty escape but Tink is right there with him, a disbelieving scoff falling from her lips.

"Just 'fine?'" she repeated, mockingly. "You don't stick around for that long, if someone is just 'fine.' Admit it . You liked her."

He pressed his lips together, rolling his eyes before admitting, "Okay, fine. I liked her. She was funny and beautiful and… easy."

 _Easy to talk to, easy to look at, easy to feel connected to_. _Easy to be with_. Those thoughts ran through his mind as he remembered how relaxed he'd felt in her presence. How quickly he discovered he could just… be, for once. It was a feeling that had eluded him for months now. But he'd found it again… with her.

He shook his head. "But that doesn't matter."

"It doesn't matter?" Tink openly gaped at him. "You felt something with her. How could it not matter?"

"Because this is not my life!" he snapped at her. "My life is back home in Spokane. That's where I'm going to remember who I am. It has be."

"No it doesn't," said Tink, grabbing his arm. She shakes her head at him. "Look, you might not trust me yet, but you have to believe me when I tell you… there's nothing waiting for you in Spokane. Nothing at all. Everything you need to know who you are is right here… in Hyperion Height."

She spoke with such conviction he almost believed her, but what she's saying makes no sense. It couldn't possibly.

"Tink…"

"Here." She cut him off handing him a slip of paper with an address on it. "There's a small hotel close by. Charlie and I checked it out while you were in the bar. It's decent, plus they accept dogs."

He looked at her, letting out an exasperated breath. This girl really isn't letting up.

"Stay for one week," she urged. "Seven days. Just to see what happens."

Shrugging her shoulders, starting to walk away, she sent him a mischievous smile. "Come on _Jason_. What have you got to lose?"

With that she finally turns away from him, strutting back the way she came, satisfied that her work is apparently done. Jason watches her walk away, the slip of paper in his hand feeling heavier than he expected.

He can't stay here. He won't. There's too many reasons to leave and not enough to stay.

He's going home. He's decided.

xxxxxxxxx

The hotel turned out to be nicer than he expected, given the area. The sheets were clean, the pillows soft and the mattress turned out to be firm but not too firm. It was nice. Even Charlie seemed to like it.

They'd been staying there for the past two days, having checked in only an hour after Tink had left them in the street. Everytime he had a quiet moment Jason wondered why, just why, had he been so willing to listen to that girl. She'd sprouted nothing but nonsense since the moment he'd met her. And yet, here he was sharing a small hotel room with a dog, living off the one suit and spare gym clothes he'd found in the trunk of the back of car. (Thank god the hotel had a laundromat.)

When he'd woken up this morning he knew it was time to go out for some new clothes.

There was an old thrift shop he'd passed while he'd explored the city on his first day here. Good a place as any to pick up something new.

It was late afternoon and as he walked down the street he found himself surrounded by giggling children in costumes. It was finally Halloween and the whole neighborhood seemed to be taking delight in the holiday. Decorations were up, deals were being advertised. Morale appeared to be high for everyone, including him.

He was still reluctant to admit that Tink was right. For all he knew she could still be just as crazy as he originally assumed but… he felt different here.

In Spokane he'd always been on edge, wondering what would be coming around the corner. Always worrying about whether or not he'd be able to rediscover who he was. He didn't feel that way in Hyperion Heights. Something about this neighborhood made him feel… right. Like he was no longer out of place. As if he was right where he was supposed to be.

Maybe it was just the proximity to her.

Turning the corner, he found himself passing Roni's for the fifth time since he'd been here. He'd always slow his pace as he walked past, staring at the door, wondering if this time he'd finally be brave enough to venture back inside. Every time he chickened out.

For some reason the thought of seeing her again unnerved him. As if to see her again would be an admission that she was part of the reason he'd stayed. Maybe even the whole reason.

Yet again, he chose to walk by shaking thoughts of the dark-haired bartender from his thoughts. Instead he focused on getting to the thrift shop.

The shop didn't have the greatest collection, mostly T-shirts, jeans and a few old suits here and there. Nothing that was really his style, from what he remembers of his closet. Still, he sucked it up and grabbed a few shirts and a pair of jeans to tide him over until he returned home. He was about ready to head out when a section in the back caught his eyes.

It was a rack of old Halloween costumes, none of them particularly impressive. Well, except one. Near the end of rack hangs what appears to be the costume of a medieval man complete with a green vest, and a quiver of arrows. He sneaked a look at the handwritten tag.

 _Robin Hood costume. $15._

"You should try it on."

He glances to his side and finds a young girl staring up at him. She's dressed up as a skeleton, her hair pulled back into a ponytail and a plastic pumpkin hanging from her hand. Curiously staring up at him with narrowed eyes, she chomps on an Apollo Bar and tilts her head. "Well… go ahead."

He shakes his head, unnerved and subtly looking for her parents. "I don't think so. Don't really have a place to wear it."

 _That's not entirely true_ , he thinks to himself. Roni had invited him to a Halloween party that very night. But it wasn't as if he was going.

"But it's Halloween!" the girl urges. "Everyone's wearing costumes today. You should too. That's what makes it so fun!"

She reaches past him to pick up some Halloween make up and heading over to the register. "Good luck!" she tosses over her shoulder.

He watches her go with a curious look on his face before turning back to the costume, skeptical. Having fun? It seemed like a foreign concept. He can't remember the last time he'd done something he'd enjoyed.

Lifting the costume from its rack he checked the tag. It appeared to be his size.

Jason shrugs his shoulders.

 _Why not?_

xxxxxxxxxxxx

A decent crowd had shown up at Roni's. However, unlike last time he didn't stand out from everyone else.

He'd ended up taking the Robin Hood costume. It fit well and he had to admit he didn't feel completely ridiculous while dressed in it. If anything, he felt more comfortable than he had in weeks. Apparently leather pants and billowing shirts agreed with him.

He took a seat at the bar and ordered a Poisoned Apple cocktail, wondering how long it'd take for Roni to show up. (Not that he was looking for her.) She appeared a few minutes later, descending from an iron staircase next to the bar.

A surprised smile crept across his face when he saw her costume. A far cry from what she'd been wearing the last time he saw her, she was dressed in tan pants with matching boots and a medieval looking fur vest paired with a white long-sleeved shirts. Her hair was hidden beneath a midnight black wig that had pulled into a braid that fell over her shoulder and down to her chest. Tied to her back was a small quiver of plastic arrows.

She smiled when she saw him, an easy chuckle falling from her lips. It appeared as if they were from the same era.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in," she teased, sliding up to him from behind the bar.

"Robin Hood," he said, gesturing toward himself. "And you are?"

"A forest bandit," she replied, with a nod of her head. "Had to bust out my back-up costume. Had a run-in with more than a few clumsy customers."

She started to stir herself a cocktail, glancing at him with a somewhat smug look in her eye. "So… you decided to stick around?"

"For a little while at least," he admitted. "It appears the lure of a costume was too much for me to resist."

She let out a low laugh and leaned against the counter, raising her glass. "Well… here's hoping the Outlaw and Bandit make it through the night."

Smiling, he tapped his glass against hers. The clink of their glasses echoed in his mind and he's suddenly hit with the strongest sense of deja vu.

The costumes, the drinks… her eyes…

Why does it feel like he's done this before?

* * *

 _ **I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please leave a review!** _


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